Death Ushers Grief in “Whoever We Are, Loss Finds us and...

In â€Å"Whoever We Are, Loss Finds us and Defines Us†, by Anna Quindlen, she brings forth the discussion griefs grip on the lives of the living. Wounds of death can heal with the passing of time, but in this instance, the hurt lives on. Published in New York, New York on June 5, 1994, this is one of many Quindlen published in the New York Times, centered on deaths aftermath. This article, written in response to the death of Quindlen’s sister-in-law, and is focused on an audience who has, currently is, or will experience death. Quindlen-a columnist for the New York Times and Newsweek, Pulitzer Prize winner and author-has written six bestselling novels (Every Last One, Rise and Shine, Object Lessons, One True Thing, and Black and Blue) and has†¦show more content†¦The effective use of pathos is the crowning jewel used throughout Quindlens article. The emotion portrayed in each testimony gives light and drives the forces of the lasting effects of death and grief. Mrs. Quindlens specific examples and hard hitting emotional ties of her own experiences delivers a fatal blow to the heart strings of the reader. Quindlen conveys, My great journalistic contribution to my family is that I write obituaries. First my mothers, 22 years ago, listing her accomplishments: two daughters, three sons. Then that of my fathers second wife, dead of the same disease that killed his first one. There is more than meets the eye with his statement, carried throughout the article. Anna Quindlen makes use of repetition in two different occasions, further making her points stronger and more intense. Repetition as seen in the article in multiple occasions is used describe the absolute strength of grief. Quindlen uses and repeats the phrase more than three times in a row, each striking harder than the one before. Mrs. Quindlen stating griefs power over us as stated, more than sex, more than faith, even more than its usher death, this statement illustrates the power of grief. Repetition, found in another section of the article, in this instance, one of the examples used to support the authors position. The repetitious use of the word loss gives greater meaning to the loss of a loved one such as a mother.